April 9/00 6:42 am - Fraser Wins in Austin, Paris-Roubaix Update

The heat was on as the BMC Austin Criterium game to town. With Lance Armstrong on the start line as well as 150+ of the best riders around the action was bound to be fast and furious.

The Mercury men were set to keep up the momentum from all of the early season victories. They sent Gord Fraser, fresh off 2 big wins, and his trusty Lieutenants Henk Vogels (whose wife is expecting any minute) and Derek Bouchard-Hall.

It was to be a battle between Mercury, Shaklee, and Navigators for who would get their man to the last corner first. The race's namesake would not be a factor, fresh off a long flight from Spain.

The Mercury team (with Willett, Zarate, Knickman and Co.) went to the front with 15 laps to go and established control of the race. That was perhaps a bit early because the Shaklee boys took over with 2 laps to go and split up the Mercury train.

However there was too much under the hood of the Mercury train and Vogels hit the gas and took Fraser to the last turn in great shape as he cruised to the team's 32nd Victory of the season.

115 kilometres into the race there is a group of 8 with a two and a half minute lead. Among those in the breakaway: Tom Steels (Mapei-Quick Step) and Jacky Durand (Lotto). Andrei Tchmil is behind the peloton, chasing after a flat.